News

20th November 2003

EU urged to do more to combat cancer

The European Parliament has today voted to encourage Member States to do more to combat cancer, particularly sharing best practice on three cancer screening tests.

Since the establishment of the Europe Against Cancer Programme in 1985, cancer rates have dropped overall by 10%. However, it is estimated that approximately one European in four will die of cancer. This report recommends increasing the availability of a number of important tests to identify cancer: PAP smear screening for cervical abnormalities starting between the ages of 20-30; mammography screening for breast cancer in women aged 50-69; and faecal occult blood screening for bowel cancer in men and women aged 50-74. Other tests may also be recommended once research shows that they meet the criteria for organised cancer screening, for example the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test for prostate cancer.

Conservative Health Spokesman in the European Parliament, John Bowis MEP, said:

"Cures for cancer are still being sought, but year by year we see progress. The formerly
unmentionable disease has, to some extent, overcome the stigma, not least because of advances in medical science giving hope to patients and families. These depend on early diagnosis, which comes from screening.

"This is a welcome document to help spread best practice in the fight against cancer, particularly during the week of National Cancer Awareness Day. There is need for still more research into new tests, and screening tests must be available to all workers exposed to mutagenic and carcinogenic substances.

"Screening for bowel cancer - new in the UK - is the first screening test available to men. It will be interesting to see how men react to screening programmes in terms of take-up and whether their general health-seeking behaviours are improved as a result. Prostate cancer has now overtaken lung cancer as the most common cause of cancer in British men. It is therefore crucial to continue to raise awareness of symptoms and to invigorate our efforts to develop a screening test for this cancer."

Click here for more information, including John's speech in the European Parliament debate on this report.